History and Philosophy of Architecture-III

Islamic Architecture

PRESENTED BY: Ar. Sumbal Kashif, Ar. Fatima Sher

 Islamic Architecture
History of
Evolution
S C H O O L O F A R C H I T EC T U R E , U N I V E RS I T Y O F L A H O R E
Umayyad Dynasty
(661- 750)
Political and Social Background:
---The first Arab empire with medina as its was formed under the Caliph
Abu Bakkar, Umar, Uthman and Ali. The authority of Ali was disputed,
and he was assassinated in 661, in the meantime Muawiya who had
been the governor of Syria, took power and founded the Umayyad
dynasty moving the capital of Caliphate to Damascus ( major Roman
Byzantine city of middle east).
---Abd al-Malik: Fifth Umayyad caliph (685-705), organized the
Caliphate, all important records were translated into Arabic and made it
a state language. Islamic currency was made the only currency of
exchange in Muslim world.
Architectural Contribution:
---In reality Caliphs understood quiet well that affirmation of power was
expressed by means of the monumental works. Arab’s experience in this
field was virtually nil in the 7th century. So, Umayyad's derived decorations
and materials from Byzantium while the arches, domes, porticoes and
colonnades from Roman models. Caliphs summoned artists who were
expert in the Byzantine techniques.
---By Building Dome of the Rock their main objective was to celebrate the
victory of Islam on other religions because at that time Syria had been
occupied by churches so enchantingly fair and so renowned for their
splendor.
---Caliph Abdul Malik who built Dome of the Rock wanted to match his
rival Ibne Zubyr who rebuilt kaaba between (683-692) in his devotion to
Islam.
 Dome of The Rock
Architectural jewel of
Islam
New Elements in Mosque Architecture
Concave mihrab: reportedly first introduced in the Mosque of the Prophet at
Medina in 707. a symbol of the niche containing God’s light placed in front of the
worshippers helping them to achieve sincerity and devotion during prayers and a
symbol indicating the direction of Qibla.
Minaret: Early muslims in Damascus used to pray at the neglected temple of
Christians which had four projected cornors, on which they climbed to make a
Adhan. Thus inspiring the development of minerats.

Mehrab of Mosque of
Damascus
Stone arcade surrounding the court and horshoe arches these types of arches
were earliest recorded in Mosque of damascus. The first use and appearance of
multifoil arches in minerats of ummayyad mosque and then transmitted to the
rest of the world.
Maqsura: a private area in the prayer hall enclosed by a wood screen for the ruler
and his companions.
Dome in the central nave in front of the mihrab: first appeared in Damascus
and may have been adopted from Roman and Byzantine precedents.
Khazna: treasury, a structure possibly used as a vault in the mosque's courtyrad.
Great Mosque of
Damascus (706-715)
 Umayyad Dynasty in
Spain 756-1009
Political Background:
In 750 the Damascus- based Omayyad dynasty of Caliphs, rulers of the
Muslim world, were overthrown by the revolutionary Abbasids, who
shifted the caliphate to Baghdad. Just one of the Omayyad family, Abu’l-
Mutarrif Abd ar-Rahman-I bin Muawiya, escaped. Aged only 20, he made
for Morocco and thence Spain.
In 756 he setup his emirate In Cordoba, which under Abdul-Rehman III
became the center of the Caliphate of Spain that lasted until 1009.
 Umayyad Dynasty in
Spain
---Spain’s Islamic centuries (AD 756-1492) left a particularly rich heritage of
exotic and beautiful palaces, mosques, minarets and fortresses in Andalusia (
Muslim- ruled areas of the Iberian Peninsula).
---These buildings make Andalusia visually unique in Europe and have to be
classed as its greatest architectural glory. After the Christian re conquest of
Andalusia, many Islamic buildings were simply repurposed for Christian ends. As
a result, many of today’s Andalusian churches are simply converted mosques
(most famously at Cördoba), many church towers began life as minarets, and the
zig-zagging streets of many an old town – Granada’s Albayzin district is just one
famous example originated in Islamic-era street plans.
Great Mosque of
Cordoba,Spain
 Alhambra Palace,
Granada
 Abbasid Dynasty
Political and Social Background:
---In 750 the descendants of Al-Abbas( Uncle of Holy Prophet
PBUH),Abbasids seized power from the Umayad rulers of the
Arab empire, who lost all their possessions apart from Spain.
The Abbasid caliphs based in what is now Iraq ruled over Iran,
Mesopotamia, Arabia and the lands of the eastern and
southern Mediterranean.

---Moved capital from Damascus to Baghdad due to strong connection with Persia
which contributed to military succession.

---Baghdad being the major trade route between Africa, Europe and Asia helped in
Economy growth.

---Contributed to establishment of Education. ( translation of books and enrichment

of Libraries.
Abbasid Empire
 Abbasid Architecture:
---Abbasid architecture developed in the Abbasid Caliphate
between 750 and 945, primarily in its heartland of Mesopotamia.
---While the Abbasids lost control of
large parts of their empire after 850, their architecture continued
to be copied by successor states in Iran, Egypt and North Africa.
---Where the Umayyads had typically reused pre-Islamic
buildings in the cities they had conquered,
the spread of Muslim beliefs had brought changes in needs. The Abbasids had to
erect
mosques and palaces, as well as fortifications, houses, commercial buildings and
even facilities for racing and polo matches.
---They planned new cities of Baghdad, Raqqa and Sammara. These cities were
circular in plan and protected by massive walls incorporating 132 round towers.
Mosque in the central place leaded by three or four gates. These monumental gates
were the display of the power of the Caliph and his achievements.

nd Kufa to Mecca, leveling thesurfaceand building w

alls and ditches in some ahe pilgrims with
rooms and a mosque in which to pray.
New Abbasid
Capital: Baghdad
built by caliph Al-Mansur.
 Abbasid Mosques:
---Unlike Umayyad’s who continued the stone
tradition of Syria, Abbasids adopted
Mesopotamian tradition of mud and baked
brick construction in decorative manner.
---Minarets in the mosque with its
monumental character and in addition to call
of prayer often used to give sense of
directions for travelers and as a public display
of power of Caliph.
---Another addition of the Abbasids was its
unusual shape of plan of Mosque by running
the aisles of the sanctuary parallel to the
central nave and intersecting them with the
qibla bay in mehrab area forming a T shape.
 Other
Remarkable Trends
------ Pier had been first use in the mosque of al Mutawakkil and later
spread through Ibne Tulun mosque. Rejection of traditional columns
was due to the shortage of columns as Muslim construction stretched
over an area including three continents. the cost and effort involved in
transport of these columns was another motivator for the invention of
piers. Europeans first adopted these piers in 10th century inspired by
Ibne Tulun mosque.
---The extensive use of pointed arch and pointed vault.
---Polilobed form of arches appeared in Abbasid mosques in Samara and
largely in north Africa and later adopted in Cordoba Spain and European
countries.
---Extensive use of Umayyad six and eight lobed rosettes and later
reached in European churches in form of rosette windows.
Great Mosque of Samara,
built by Caliph Al-Mutawakil

---Al-Mutawakkil helical type of minerat symbolised a wish to desire

to pry into the secrets of heaven. A sign for muslim quest for
knowledge which intensified under the Abbasid patronage.
 Fatimid Dynasty (909 – 1171 AD)

Political and Social Background:

---The Fatimids claimed descent from Fatima bint
Muhammad, the daughter of the prophet. The Fatimids
first conquered Aghlabid Capital in North Africa and
gradually occupied Tunisian cities and finally in 969
they conquered Egypt and established Cairo as the
capital of their caliphate - Egypt became the political,
cultural, and religious center of their empire.
---After the initial conquests, the caliphate often
allowed a degree of religious tolerance towards non-
Ismaili sects of Islam, as well as to Jews, Christians, and
Egyptian Coptic Christians.
---The history of the Fatimids is in fact the history of
knowledge, literature, and philosophy. Because the most
significant feature of Fatimid rule, was the freedom of
thought and reason extended to the people, who could
believe in whatever they liked, provided they did not
infringe on the rights of others.
Architectural Contributions:
---Fatimid's promoted the arts and initiated an innovative
architectural style.
---Newly established city of Cairo was a forbidden city
reserved only for Caliphs, his court and bodyguards.
Surrounded by brick wall it comprised large squares,
palaces and a series of public buildings ( Library, treasury,
mausoleum). A mosque was placed in the middle of city
that served as the university of Fatimid Islam.
--- In mosque architecture Fatimids emphasized the
fortress-like appearance, the enclosing of the minarets,
the use of keel arches, and the continuation of classical
shell motifs.

Shell motif in AlAqmar Keel arches in Al-

Mosque, Cairo azhar mosque
 Al-Azhar Mosque, Al Qahira

Al-Hakim Mosque.
Al-Hakim Mosque
 Ghazanavid Dynasty 975-
1187
In the 10th century
Turkic mamluks, or
"slave soldiers", and
their allies rebelled
against the ruling
Samanid dynastic rulers,
taking Ghazna as their
central stronghold.
Military campaigns in
the region by Mahmud
ibn Sabuktagin—known
later as Mahmud the
Great—further solidified
power and firmly
established
The Ghaznavids were great the patrons of the arts and
Ghaznavid Empire that,
sciences as well stretched
at its height, as architecture financed from the
collected
from the wealth of Sea
Caspian their
tomilitary campaigns.
the Ganges Delta.
Unfortunately today there are few surviving examples
of Ghaznavid architecture and monumental artistic
form with the only standing examples at Ghazni being
the "Towers of Victory."
Ghazanavid Dynasty
Seljuks of Persia and Anatolia
Political and Social Background:
The Seljuq dynasty was a Turkish Sunni Muslim
dynasty reviving the dying Caliphate that
gradually adopted Persian culture and
contributed to the Turko-Persian Tradition in
the medieval West and Central Asia. Seljuqs
were convereted from an old religion and
bacame the devout muslims striving to defend
and proclaim it in all circumstances.
---Due to vast area Seljuqs controlled from
Anatolia to Persia, historians refer to them as
Seljuq of Persia and Seljuq of west (Sultant of
Rum and Anatolia).
--- The Seljuqs founded universities and were
also patrons of art and literature. Under the
Seljuqs, New Persian became the language for
Architectural Characteristics:

---Seljuks employed the Arab and Iranian masons and

introduced new features and techniques and building
types.i.e Madrassahs, Cravansarai’s and hospitals.
---Use of both stone and brick materials in load bearing
systems and vaults.
---The most significant alteration carried out in the
early twelfth century was the conversion of the
mosque plan into a four-iwan plan mosque.
---Another mosque-type introduced at this time was the
kiosk mosque, consisting of a domed space with three
open sides and wall containing a mihrab on the qibla
side. This type of mosque was attached to the large
building complexes such as Caravanserais and Madrassas.
Four Iwan Mosque Type

Kiosk Mosque Type

---In Anatolia there are indications that
Seljuks may have used the Basilica plan of
Christian churches into Mosques and
Madrassas producing a longitudinal
mosques rather than the traditional wide.
Which also resulted in the gradual
disappearance of the courtyards.
---They also maintained the Iwan type
entrance ‘Pushtaq’ in majority of religious
and secular monuments.
---Emphasis on use of conical domes.
Lecture Finished
Thanks